A tale as old as time yet presented in a refreshing way, a setting that blends modern elements with yesteryear concepts, and characters who are vivid and possess an almost cinematic flair – this book has it all.
There are certain books where the premise seems deceptively simple. They even seem to follow a beaten track or a hackneyed concept. A kingdom in
trouble from both external and internal forces, a just and fair ruler facing
issues with succession while a coup looms on the hitherto peaceful horizon.
What should the king do and how will the kingdom overcome what has been
threatening it from all sides?
While the above lines could describe any generic political
thriller in a historical setting, it takes a good imagination and an even
better ability to tell the tale in such a way that it seems fresh and still
fills the reader with the necessary dose of suspense, intrigue and thrill.
Sitharaam Jayakumar delivers to this expectation with grace.
King Devdutt’s woes about his succession (after he voluntarily
abdicates) are not unfounded, with the crown prince’s behaviour being such a
far cry from what is expected of someone of his stature. In addition to that,
there is growing unrest in the country with its people being subjected to
untold cruelties (resulting from corrupt practices by the middlemen and the
officials who keep it well away from the ears of the king.)
When one brave officer (of the kingdom’s equivalent of the Secret
Service) sets out to unravel the puzzle, along with his trusted aide, he uncovers
more than he bargained for. Jagan Mohan as the head of the HKV (Himadripuram
Koofiya Vibhagh) is immediately likeable and is one of those solid, trustworthy
protagonists who carry the story on their shoulders with ease. Vishnu Sarma as
his pupil and aide is the perfect blend of youthful freshness and daring.
The detailing of the characters is one of the strong points
of the book. While initially, it does feel like there are one too many characters to keep track of, the reader’s patience is rewarded when each of them has their role to play and
dimension to add to the tale.
Describing a fictitious setting/time has both advantages and
disadvantages. As mentioned in his note, the author has taken
(and used well) the creative liberty to use some modern elements that would have been unheard of in the times
when the story supposedly takes place. While this is a refreshing take that
engages the reader to employ their imagination, it also requires
them to make leaps of understanding and take some things in their
stride.
Having already known the author’s style with his semi-fantasy
fiction, The Simian Curse, I had some preconceived idea of what to expect.
With The Himadripuram Adventure, Sitharaam Jayakumar met all the positive
expectations and created a classic tale that kept me turning the pages.
There is political strife, murder, betrayal, espionage and a
lot of twists to keep the thriller fans happy. The last few pages pack the most
content, neatly wrapping up loose ends and subtly leaving room for sequels too.
The characters do not just utter their dialogues and do their part – they come
alive on the pages and make the readers root for them or hate them with
passion. This is a victory for any writer.
The book’s positives include the detailed description of
Himadripuram – a place that does not exist in the real world but still makes
you remember its hills, rivers and valleys with ease as if you visited it and travelled
with the characters. The second strong point would be how Sitharaam Jayakumar
has taken a well-known concept and given it a completely fresh perspective. The novel is evenly paced, with no dull moment that
brings down the narrative, which is another plus.
However, it could have been made into an even better experience if the author had provided a helpful chart of characters (which the readers can refer to when they are wondering who is who) and maybe used even more vernacular terms that will have suited the setting easily, to add to the story's authenticity.
While I would personally appreciate the author’s imaginative
uniqueness in blending certain neo-modern aspects with this age-old tale of
kings and horsemen, most readers may find this adjustment a bit difficult at
first. Once the readers get past the surprise of seeing a surprisingly developed
element of governance in a monarchy centuries ago, it becomes easier to not
only adapt to their unique values but also look forward to them.
The Himadripuram Adventure is one of those books that will keep you hooked to it if you love the genre. It is a must-read for fans of historical fiction who would appreciate the political intrigue featuring erstwhile kings and the culturally rich descriptions of the times.
I quite enjoyed this ride and would eagerly read the sequel.
Buy the book on Amazon: HERE!
About the Author
Sitharaam Jayakumar, known to his friends as Jai, passed out of IITBHU, Varanasi, India, in the year 1988 as a Metallurgical Engineer. He worked as an IT professional for more than 27 years. He started his writing career in the year 2017. He maintains a personal blog titled Jai's Jottings.
Initially, he started writing poems which were followed by articles on a variety of topics. He dabbled in some photography and soon began writing fiction. He has published two eBooks on Amazon KDP in the suspense thriller genre: Eighty Hours To Save Karen and The Krishnapur Kidnappings. Five of his poems have been published in a book of poetry titled Melodies of Spring. He has also written a short story named Varied Moods, Varied Seasons in a book of anthologies titled A Fallen Leaf published by a writers' group named Penmancy.
Regarding non-fiction, Jai writes articles on anything that catches his fancy in everyday life. This could be sports or politics or any current event of importance. He also writes book reviews. One of his short stories, The Double Murder was published in an international online magazine Kitaab International. Last year he published The Himadripuram Adventure which is his first full-length novel. The Simian Curse is his latest release.
Check out his blog at: https://jaisjottings.com/
Find him on social media:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sitaram.jayakumar Twitter: https://twitter.com/SmallFryBlogger Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/18051115.Sitharaam_Jayakumar